1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of electronic document processing and, more particularly, to attaching files to an electronic document.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many software applications are capable of attaching copies of files to electronic documents. Common examples of such software systems can include, but are not limited to, electronic mail systems, database systems, as well as other collaborative systems such as Lotus Notes™, available from International Business Machines Corporation of Armonk, N.Y. Once a file is attached to an electronic document, whether a copy of the file is made and attached, or the original is attached, the electronic document as well as the file can be transmitted over a computer communications network to other computer systems. Alternatively, multiple users can access the attached file using suitable collaborative software, typically over a computer communications network from a central data store.
Conventional software systems can manipulate attached files in several ways. For example, the attached file can be viewed with a file viewer, launched or processed by another application, detached from the electronic document and stored as a local file, or in the case of a program file, can be executed. Though a copy of a file can be attached to an electronic document, the original file may be updated from time to time resulting in multiple versions of the attached file. Such is often the case, for example, in collaborative work environments where multiple persons or entities share responsibility for developing the file that is attached to the electronic document.
Presently, conventional collaborative applications that allow files to be attached to electronic documents lack the ability to manage multiple versions of a file within that domain. In other words, one must implement manual version control if one intends on attaching more than one version of a file to an electronic document.
For example, if a file has undergone several revisions by various persons or entities, the latest version of the file can be attached to an electronic document. If access is needed to the previous versions of the file, then each version can be attached to a separate electronic document. Alternatively, more than one version of the file can be attached to the same electronic document. When access to previous versions of the file is required, whether the versions are each attached to different electronic documents or are all attached to a same electronic document, each version of the file appears as a separate and distinct attachment in the electronic document. No indication is provided which suggests that each attachment is a different version derived from a same source file.
If file version information is provided for each version of the attached file, such information is manually inserted by a user into the subject or body portions of the electronic document. This places a significant burden upon users to continually provide information detailing the differences between each revision of a file. In particular, users are tasked with tracking attributes of the revisions such as the author or source of each revision, the date of the revision, the purpose of the revision, and any other attributes relating to revisions which provide necessary explanation to other participants within a collaborative work environment who access and edit the shared file.